Mr Rayward, who is preparing for his third term on council, brings to the role of mayor a diverse working background.

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Serving as a veterinarian in the district for 45 years, Mr Rayward also has extensive experience as a contract poultry grower, and was instrumental in the building of the Hunter Valley Grammar School.

Excited to lead the council over the next four-year term, Mr Rayward said it was a “privilege to be elected” as Mayor.

“We have four new councillors with fresh vision and I am very optimistic we are going to be able to move forward in a really positive way,” said Mr Rayward, who described his leadership style as “very collaborative”.

Ahead of Wednesday’s council meeting, Mr Rayward said a major focus was improving the council’s relationship with the community.

“I want to build stronger ties with the community, because that is who we represent.”

He also highlighted council’s key role in facilitating external initiatives seeking to bring improvement to the Shire, citing Rural Aid’s Community Builders Program and a plan to bring platypus tourism to the district as examples.

“Council’s role is to facilitate these individuals and groups and make the community stronger,” Mr Rayward said. “There are hundreds of examples where community building projects are really taking off and I am a big supporter of that.”

Noting that smaller regional councils are “doing it tough”, Mr Rayward spoke to the continual importance of attaining major infrastructure funding.

“Our main focus is on infrastructure funding for roads etc.

“Seventy percent of our funding comes through grants and we have to keep our focus on that all the time.”

Improving community engagement is also a stated aim for Mr Rayward, who told NOTA he intends to develop a series of community stakeholder reference groups to improve council decision making.

“In the Dungog Shire there are some absolutely brilliant people,” he said.

“When councillors are deliberating on a certain topic, for example arts and culture, we are better off seeking the advice of people in the area with that specific expertise.”

In terms of challenges for the new council, Mr Rayward cites the changing face of agriculture and the shifting demographics of the Dungog Shire as issues which need to be addressed.

“Agriculture has changed so much in the past 40 years… what will it look like in the next 40 years?

“Farming was all based on dairy and beef and has changed now to rural lifestyle living.

“The demography is changing in the Shire, and that is a challenge we need to deal with.”